Right, I posted a thread a few weeks ago regarding oil overfill. I had overfilled it to approx 3-4 mm above the max line on the stick.

I asked whether, like food sell by dates, motor manufacturers allowed for human error by setting the MAX oil line BELOW the REAL danger line. I reckon they do, but nobody could answer me.

Now, someone here must have the definative answer (Ross Clarke etc).

Right, my reason for asking again. Yesterday the furb vRS had its first annual service AT A SKODA DEALER, and I made the point to the technician that I had slightly overfilled the oil, and that could he ensure when he changes it he fills it ONLY to the max line. He assured me he would and jokingly said "we dont like wasting oil".

So, I went away pretty reassured. When I picked it up and finally got home I checked the level on the stick after 1/2 hour and guess what, the oil sits at 3-4 mm ABOVE the max line.

My question.....should I be worried???......does oil overfill mean INCHES above the max line and is the odd mm ok????

Someone somewhere will know the absolute MAX you can overfill before it gets dodgy, and I cant believe that the max on the stick is the absolute max you can go. If that were the case then even 1 mm over could spell danger to the engine.

If I dont have to I dont want to have to go back to the dealer for them to drain some off, especially if it's really not necessary.

So, Ross Clarke or any other tech HELP :(

Lummox. This is for you

Obvious first question - Are you dipping on a level surface.

And doesn't the manual specifcy checking it at a certain temperature?

Depending on how long you have run the car for it may affect the level , but I wouldn't think that a couple of mm will make much difference

Right, it was checked on my driveway which LOOKS flat to me, although there MAY be the slightest of inclines towards the back of the car. In fact IF there is a slight slope it is neglible and surely cant mean the difference of 3-4 mm. CAN IT????

I too collected my car from a main dealer service on Wednesday. Checked the oil before pulling away, and too my horror the oil was not only overfilled by 2mm, but also was BLACK!!! :eek:

I have been somewhat reassured that this is normal.

Also, I keep my engine bay spotless, and there was oil all over the flange ( ) and all around the dipstick cover. Not all that impressed.

Ah well, serves me right for being so anally retentive about my car...

Right, it was checked on my driveway which LOOKS flat to me, although there MAY be the slightest of inclines towards the back of the car. In fact IF there is a slight slope it is neglible and surely cant mean the difference of 3-4 mm. CAN IT????

Easy way to check is to measure the oil level with the car in one place , then turn it round through 180 degrees on the same spot.

If the drive is level the reading will be the same.

If it isn't then the reading will be different and the "true" level will be half way between the two.

Just taken it out to warm up the oil, parked it on a flat surface, left it for a while, checked the stick, 3-4 mm over. Not sure if I should be worried, although reassured by Tom vRS's comments.

Different car, different engine (Nissan 1.2 petrol) but SWMBO's car had its first service a few months ago. All top line but I noticed that the oil level was well above max afterwards (can't remember exactly but maybe 5 mm plus). Circumstances such that I could not do much about it except hope. No problems since - in fact, all much better and the engine is now sweet as you like and happliy goes above 4000 rpm without sounding like a sewing machine (when I'm driving !)

So the oil still looks black after a service then. Hmm - that's normally my check to confirm that the b*****s have changed it! Maybe that's why they spread it around the engine compartment a bit just to prove they've done it!

Nice one

when diesel burns it causes an acidic byproduct to be left behind ( metal engine bad day) the main differnece between petrol engine oil and diesel engine oil is that it is designed to remove this gunk and cling on to it , hence the oil being black,

this is wat ive been told anyhow

im ready to be snipered

I too collected my car from a main dealer service on Wednesday. Checked the oil before pulling away' date=' and too my horror the oil was not only overfilled by 2mm, but also was BLACK!!! :eek:

[/quote']

OOOO, i wouldnt bring that up infront of lummox.. its a pet hate of his...

He He He it the old 'my oil is still black' is a pet hate of mine and something that comes up rather alot funnily enough as most people allways seem to assume that a dealer is allways out to rip you off. Has a simple enough remedy though.

If you level is to high even by four mm I wouldnt worry about it. But strictly speaking it has been overfilled so if your not happy take it back and get them to adjust the level to what it should be.

Just out of interest, when you do an oil change how do you know when you've reached "MAX". Do you just replace the oil you've drained with the book amount of litres it should take?

Chris

i always pour it in little by little , checking in between assuring the cars parked level

Just out of interest' date=' when you do an oil change how do you know when you've reached "MAX". Do you just replace the oil you've drained with the book amount of litres it should take?

Chris[/quote']

That's a good start. Then run the engine and let the oil filter and head fill up. The filter has a non-return valve to ensure oil is retained in the head to lubricate it immediately from start up so it will retain some of the oil.

Then switch off, let the engine cool and oil drain back into to the sump for a while before re-dipping.

That's what I used to do but then that I haven't had to change oil myself for the last 3 years.

How DO you know if they have changed the oil?

I think the new Skodas with long service intervals use a sensor in the sump to check oil quality through temperature and pressure. The computer uses this info together with info on the miles travelled / hours run etc to work out when to flag up a service. You'd like to think that regardless of anything else, if the sump sensor detects poor oil quality, the computer would let you know. Unlikely though. There's probably a lower limit of a few thousand miles below which a service indicator won't come up.

Can you enlighten us any Lummox ?

Yesterday the furb vRS had its first annual service AT A SKODA DEALER' date=' and I made the point to the technician that I had slightly overfilled the oil, and that could he ensure when he changes it he fills it ONLY to the max line. He assured me he would and jokingly said "we dont like wasting oil".

So, I went away pretty reassured. When I picked it up and finally got home I checked the level on the stick after 1/2 hour and guess what, the oil sits at 3-4 mm ABOVE the max line.[/quote']

My dealer put that much oil in too... :confused:

Hmmmm, seem to remember my previous VW Golf going in for a service, and they too overfilled it by again 3-4 mm. I am assuming this must be safe otherwise they wouldn't do it, ESPECIALLY after I voiced my concerns. I am sort of not worrying about it anymore, and the furb seems to run nicer since the service, although I reckon thats the old 'placebo effect' kicking in.